Chapter Twenty-Three Neighbors

  "Gentleman, there is only this one place, what do you think?" Mu Ya said with difficulty.

  "Not bad, quite clean." Chang Qingzi said with a nonchalant smile.

  It's clean, but this place is really too small, just two rooms and a courtyard in front. The whole thing put together isn't even as big as the house I used to live in. And although it's not shabby, it's still quite ordinary. "Young master, why do you have to suffer like this?" Mu Ya couldn't help but wonder. Even if Miss Ghost is special, there's no need to go to such extremes, right?

  Chang Qingzi didn't answer, but instead said: "Let's plant some flowers and grass in the courtyard, and also find someone to repair the house. I'll go visit the neighbors." Chang Qingzi finished speaking, then left his residence and went straight to a nearby place. He knocked heavily on the door and said: "Yin Huan Yue, Yin Huan Yue."

  "Young master, it's Mo Gongzi." Qinghe said as she brought over a perfectly brewed cup of tea to Yin Huan Yue.

  "Go open the door." Yin Huan Yue said.

  "Yes." Qinghe replied.

  ……

  "Please come in, Mr. Mo," said Qinghe.

  "Qinghe, you're fast enough, this place has changed beyond recognition!" Chang Qingzi said with a smile.

  Qinghe didn't say a word and continued to lead the way quietly in front. "Mo Gongzi, we've arrived, please."

  "Anything wrong?" Yin Huan Yue looked at Chang Qing Zi and asked lightly.

  "Let's get reacquainted," Chang Qingzi said, then sat down without hesitation and poured himself a cup of tea.

  "What's your purpose?" asked Yin Huan Yue directly.

  "Just like you." Chang Qingzi took a sip of tea and smiled.

  "Are you here to team up with me?" Yin Huan Yue's cold expression finally had a hint of change.

  "No, no, no." Zhang Qingzi smiled and shook his head, "She won't move, nor can she move." After saying this, he got up and left.

  Yin Huan Yue suddenly laughed, with a tone full of sarcasm.

  ……

  In the woods, in a pavilion near the lake, Guīyǎn was lying on a rocking chair with his eyes closed. Listening to Guīhún talking about some things she encountered this time, her face didn't change until Guīhú mentioned those three men and one woman, when she slightly furrowed her brow.

  "Sister, do you recognize the talisman used by that person?" Guisheng asked aloud.

  "I've already looked at page four, but it's not there," said the ghost.

  "Xiao Qing, why don't you just draw a picture of Gui Sheng?" said Luo Xi beside her.

  "Yes, junior sister, why don't you just draw it out for me?" Guisheng said excitedly.

  No, Guisheng doesn't have the Wheel of Reincarnation eye, nor does he resemble a ghostly illusion. However, like ghosts, he can not only see spirits but also communicate with them. The Ghost Eye is due to his cultivation. Moreover, although Guisheng's speed in reading that book isn't as fast as a ghost's, and drawing talismans isn't as successful as a ghost's either, there's one strange point - all the talismans drawn by Guisheng possess a special ability, seemingly stronger than normal talismans. Furthermore, when it comes to incantations, he has his own set of comprehension skills, grasping them faster than ordinary people, except for ghosts.

  "I remember it, but I don't understand the order," said the ghost.

  "Is there still an order you can't understand?" Luo Rui asked strangely.

  "It should be him." Ghost Eye suddenly opened his eyes and said.

  "What is it?" everyone asked curiously together.

  "Do you still remember what I said when I gave you that book?" Ghost Eye suddenly asked a question that was completely unrelated.

  "When our spiritual power reaches the spiritual soldiers, we can start practicing." Guisheng said.

  "Do you know why this is?" Guī Yǎn asked.

  "I don't know," Gui Sheng replied.

  The ghostly-eyed man chuckled and shook his head, saying: "The Tianfu Record I gave you is a top-notch talisman book. Although some of the talismans on it seem to be well-known to everyone, when drawing the talismans in the order specified in the book..."

  "It will produce spiritual power." The ghost said.

  "The ghostly eyes nodded and said: 'Indeed, so when your spiritual power reached the spiritual soldiers, I sealed your spiritual power. Your current spiritual power is the result of later cultivation plus catching ghosts, and also the accumulation of drawing talismans.'"

  "Master, you still haven't said anything about that strange curse," Guisheng said.

  "The master has already made it clear, ghost birth." The ghost said helplessly.

  "What did you say, Master?" Seeing that everyone else had a knowing expression, Guī Shēng immediately looked at the ghost and asked.

  "The talismans are divided into many types, and the ones we practice are the pictorial talismans. We acquire spiritual power through the special sequence of drawing these talismans. The three men and one woman's talismans are another type of sequence, which they cultivate through that sequence. The sequences for drawing these talismans are not passed on externally, different sequences result in talismans with different powers and effects."

  The ghost saw a look of understanding and continued to speak.

  "What seems like a simple few strokes is actually the final result of countless predecessors' experiments over thousands of times. So this is also the foundation for each family, each sect to survive and not pass on externally. As for why I couldn't see the sequence, it's because of a special technique, otherwise if everyone could see through it, then this talisman would lose its special existence value."

  "It's still better to be a junior sister, Master knows how to pretend to be mysterious." Guisheng said.

  "Am I being too mysterious or is your understanding ability just poor?" Ghost Eye said with a smirk.

  "That talisman looks a bit complicated, but its logic is very clear." The ghost thought for a moment and then said to the ghost eye.

  "Oh, it's the Flower Token, it belongs to the Flower family." Ghost Eye said.

  "What's this about a flower house? Master, I've never heard of it before." Guisheng asked.

  "Three males and one female, the Flower Symbol... Soul, what day is today?" Ghost Eye suddenly asked.

  "On June 9th." The ghost replied.

  "So it was." said Gui Yan.

  "What's wrong?" the ghost asked.

  "The Hungry Ghost Festival is approaching," said Gui Yan.

  "Master, we already know all this, what's your point?" Guisheng said.

  "Hmm, you guys are busy, we're going there," said Gui Yan.

  "Where?" the ghost muttered.

  "Alright, Luo Ran, you accompany Gui Sheng to practice actual combat." Gui Yan said.

  "Master!" the ghost cried out.

  "Don't worry." Ghost Eye said calmly. "As for you, Soul, I'll be your training partner for the next two days. Luo Xi will record your shortcomings."

  "Yes." Luo Xi replied.

  "Is it a real battle or just a match? How many people will be there? Including those three men and one woman? Will there be many participants? What's the purpose? Also, will the sealed spiritual power of me and Kishin be unsealed?"

  "Soul, you're too clever, I have nothing to say." Guiyan laughed.

  "I understand, Master," the ghost replied firmly.

  "Master, I won't let you and Shifu lose face either." Gui Sheng patted his chest, saying with a solemn expression.